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Monthly Archives: November 2011

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Twenty-two months ago at 2:43pm – I had no idea what was in store, how my life would be forever changed, and how genuinely happy and in love I would be!
Alexander James Clarke, you are my little bundle of love and I thank every day for you.

This post may be hard to relate to for some of you – sorry. I am, by trade and at heart, a designer. I long to make things pretty, rearrange advertisements so they will make sense to the masses, and feel like business documents do not have to look boring – but can be pleasant to read and esthetically pleasing to the eye, no matter the topic.

I love paper. I have reams of paper, samples of paper, small booklets of paper at work and at home. I love to use different papers, expensive papers – smooth and textured alike. I love paper. I have an appointment at 2:00 today with one of my favorite paper ladies – she has the coolest job – she co-shares a job with another amazing lady – and she sets people up with paper samples from Xpedx (one of my favorite resources for all things paper). Plus she gets to co-host amazing paper shows where manufactures will come and tell us about their paper and why it’s awesome, and then we get treats or coffee and loads of samples… I realize what I giant nerd I am.. really I do.

Do you know that movie American Pyscho? The only part of that terrible (I don’t like to be scared) movie that I remember is how he’s obsessed with having the best business card – the prettiest, best design, best thick expensive paper. Sadly, I understood his need and want for the best paper (not to mention best title). Now, I wouldn’t go all serial murdery on someone – but understood in some non-pyschotic way.

Annnyyywhhooo.. Paper. I have books written about paper – I mean, really? So I wanted to share a few of my favorite paper things with you. First, business cards, I fear business cards much like greeting cards and invitations are going away, slowly but surly. Business cards are such a personal representation of you – or at least they can be – I realize that your card might have been designed by some boring HR department (I have one of those too)– but if you have a side business, are a mom (or dad), you’re retired, you’re looking for a job, or mate – you should have a personal card that represents you. I have been doing some calling cards for moms with kids that have play dates – so cute. I have been seeing them all over – here are a couple of links:

Calendars and Lists: there is nothing better then a paper calendar. For someone that is iphone calendar dependent (seriously, my life is in my iphone!) – I also very much depend on my MomAgenda (speaking of – I need a new one!). I love to write things down, and keep lists. I also lose lists quit a lot – but if I write it down I almost always can recreate it. I have found an awesome app for my mac and iphone (Apple! Hola!) it’s called Evernote. See when I switched from PC to Mac – the one thing I really missed was OneNote. I love ONENOTE! But with Evernote – I can make a list on my computer and it will update on my iphone.. this is amazing.

Paper Crafts: I love to make things out of paper – like wreaths and garland. I have visions of making paper garland for our tree this year – and maybe popcorn garland too.. Paper Source is a great place to go for crafty ideas like this. They always have paper flower or wreath kits, and they are super easy and super fun to do.

So, my mind is racing 1 freaking million miles an hour.. and lucky for you – I have thoughts I want to share!
Is it dumb to turn the crib into the toddler bed – thus purchasing more bedding – rather than just moving him into a “big” boy bed (not yet — but in the near future — I’m a planner people) – and purchasing that bedding. It really all revolves around bedding. I’m not pregnant (tears in my coffee) – but hope to be soon, and when he or SHE arrives than I will move him into his big boy bed – so do I wait? Why is this such a dilemma? Oh – because I want to decorate. dumb. I have been obsessed with this bedding from PB Kids – it’s plaid – and adorable – and I just found it in toddler bedding also..

Look at the cute little guy bedroom. I love it.
Thoughts? Comments?

Prydes of Old Westport
Yesterday, I wasn’t feeling well. Not only am I suffering from a terrible case of post nasal drip – but I was feeling extremely low and uncreative. So in order to give myself a little pick me up – I decided to go and wander around Prydes. I love Prydes – it’s crowed with stuff, sometimes it’s very expensive – sometimes it’s not. A little old lady offers you tea (which I happily accepted), and there’s so much to look at – and daydream about. I love expensive cooking tools – I love to cook! Having Thanksgiving at my house is a very exciting time for me. I can spend hours here. Unfortunately I only had about 40 minutes – so I wandered quickly. First upstairs with the gadgets, table runners and aprons. They have the largest All-Clad pot I have ever seen.. I picked up some local honey and some turkey timers – for $2! They had cute ones for $10 – but I went with the cheap! They have teas and cocoa – aprons and matching oven mits that are adorable and TONS of bake ware. Downstairs is full of glass and dinner ware – a huge room of Fiestaware – and a little pie shop called The Upper Crust. They have a room upstairs right when you walk in the door full of cookbooks – and I LOVE COOKBOOKS! Anyway – if you’ve never been to Prydes – it’s worth the quick trip to Westport Road! It’s also a great place to buy me.. er anyone presents! Here is a list of items that Pryde’s suggest for your Essential Kitchen – let’s see how many I own!

MEASURING TOOLS:
Ingredients – own
Temperature – we have a grill thermometer – I guess that counts
Time – own

So I am close – I think my current NEEDS are a standing mixer (Black I think) and a Dutch Oven..

On a more solemn note.. The news has been depressing the crap out me lately – it makes me scared to let the Captain out of my site. All this news about child molestation and these men that are supposed to be pillars of the community. It kills me. We rode our bikes and played out of site of our parents every damn day in the summer from dusk till dawn – and no one, NO ONE, thought anything about it. I spent countless days at the pool with my sister – and no parent around! I cannot imagine letting the Captain walk 2 blocks out of my site right now. The whole thought of not knowing where he is at every second scares the bejeesus out of me. I can’t read anymore of the Penn State mess – It makes me literally sick to my stomach to think that guy did that – and all those other cowherds covered it up. SICK I TELL YOU!

I try everyday to be a better mom than I was yesterday. He’s in a hitting/kicking stage – which is so fun – and it wears on my patience – but I can make him giggle like no one else can, and that makes me smile and giggle a little too. He loves his daddy more than anyone right now too – it’s so freaking cute! When hubs isn’t around he walks around the house, checks the office and says daddy?? It’s so cute.

That’s all for now.. I’m sure you’re relieved!
I think after work – I am going to SPEED to pick up my peanut and hug him tight!